IF TALK counts for anything, Collingwood is in for a battle at the Gabba on Saturday night, with Brisbane Lions vice-captain Jed Adcock saying being competitive would simply not cut it for the home team.
The Lions are 2-4 and languishing in 14th position after back-to-back hidings from heavyweights Geelong and Essendon.
But with the competition's biggest team coming to town, Adcock said the Lions were confident and not prepared simply to make up the numbers.
"I wouldn't say that competitive is a pass mark. You've got to win the game to be satisfied, and still then, there's things you're working on," Adcock said.
"We haven't beaten a top eight team for a few years now. Last year we beat teams that were down the bottom of the ladder near us, and the same this year - we've beaten two teams (Melbourne and Gold Coast) around us as well.
"We haven't been able to get that scalp up the top of the ladder which is important for belief and the season to know you can take it up to those guys."
The last top eight team the Lions defeated was Collingwood, almost two years ago.
In round 10, 2010, they ended a five-game losing streak with an eight-point win in Luke Power's 250th game.
Adcock said the Lions lifted to play the Magpies and had matched up well against them in the past.
"The problem maybe at the moment is when the pressure is put on us, we've fallen away a bit," he said.
"The older guys need to show a bit more composure and work through that, work through the situations that happen in games. I think it's getting back to the basics again."
Rugged tagger Andrew Raines will return from his one-match suspension for striking Joel Selwood to add some starch to the Lions' midfield.
But Adcock said it was execution that would prove the difference on Saturday night.
"We've felt like if our midfield can get on top it puts us in a really good place to win. Collingwood have got a great midfield but we feel our midfield can be a big strength of ours," he said.
"Confidence is still really high. We're definitely working on a few things that we need to get right, execution-wise. We felt the effort's there, we just can't seem to capitalise on the work we do."
Michael Whiting covers Brisbane Lions news for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_mikewhiting
